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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-07-ARTS-min MLexington Council for the Arts Monday, June 7, 2021 6:00 PM — 7:30 PM Location: Via Zoom: See below for remote participation instructions Facilitator: Steve Poltorzycki Pre Meetin,z Tasks Review of minutes from April 5, 2021 meeting Attendance: Present: Shalini Kakar, Jillian Tung, Steve Poltorzycki, Jessie Chen, Anwell Tsai, Ashley Rooney, Melissa Talal, Doug Urban, Hema Gandhi, Lisa Hebert, Marie Hewes Guest : Stephanie Hsu Absent: David Hoose Meeting start time: I. Call to order II. Secretary's report: Marie Hewes (5 minutes) Minutes were approved unanimously III. Co-Treasurer's' Report: Hema Gandhi and Doug Urban (5 - 10 minutes) - Steve gave an update on the budget. Books are not closed yet for the previous year and we have to make a decision on how to use the remaining funds once the bill for the production of the signage is paid. A few ideas were proposed - Getting an annual subscription to Constant Contact. - Hiring a professional photographer to make videos about the doors, and also setting aside some money to pay musicians for performing in the fall (auction) -Using LexMedia - The new fiscal year starts in July, and we will receive 6000 dollars from the town. -We have started to receive requests for reimbursement. IV. Go Out Doors project update: Steve Poltorzycki, Jillian Tung (15 minutes) - The Go Out Doors project features 16 doors (12 new and 4 from last year). These doors have been installed by DPW at three different locations : The High School (4), near the Visitor Center (4), and a little further down the bike path(8). Several members of the Committee have contributed to the installation of the doors and the realisation of the signage. Some members have written artists' write-ups , others have contributed to the signage (Lisa) and installed the placards (Jessie, Lisa, Steve). Thanks to everyone! V. Publicity update: Ashley Rooney (10 - 15 minutes) - Several members were involved in the publicity of the event through various media (Caal newsletter by Jessie, Twitter by Shalini, The Colonial Times article by Ashley and the website by Anwell). - Shalini, Jessie and Ashley are currently working on a number of websites. - A folder will be shared by Jilian to other members of the council to collect photos. Right now, the folder contains photos, some taken by a professional photographer. The name of this folder is " Doors 2021" - These various efforts on the publicity front are paying : many emails have been received, and the goal is now to extend the reach outside Lexington to neighboring cities (Arlington) -Next steps : Instagram, adding videos -Lisa pointed out that some of the signs were shifting and felt that it would be great to circle back to DPW and obtain a more permanent system for the signs : Metal brackets for example. - One question was raised : Will DPW be able to deliver the doors to private properties after the auction? - The group discussed other ways to promote the Doors project: some suggestions are listed below: -Videotape artists interviews- we have videos of last year's artists. - Keep thinking of some type of newsletter. -Distribute Jillian's flyers. -Add links to the website. -Posts on the Lexington list/link Guest : Stephanie Hsu, Human Rights committee : Presenting Race Amity day. - Stephanie Hsu talked to us about Race Amity Day. - On Sunday June 13th, Lexington will celebrate race amity through art, songs and stories. The virtual program will take place between 1 and 2PM. Musical performances by the 5th grade choruses will take place that day. -It will be followed by a two weeks exhibition of high school students' art from June 19th to July 3rd. Around 60 pieces of art will be showcased. -Next year, Munroe Center for the Arts is planning a live performance. - The Race Amity Day is a State mandated holiday : its objective is to break down barriers between races and celebrate what brings us together.: - Stephanie Hsu is hoping that in the future The Human Rights Committee and the Council for the Arts will continue to work together and collaborate on projects showcasing artwork. VI. New website discussion:Anwell Tsai (30 - 40 minutes) What conflicts are there? -Anwell has worked on a beautiful website and had a few questions to brainstorm in order to complete the website. -Who is the home page for? (Lexingtonians looking for cultural news vs. artists/musicians looking for support vs. getting donations) Different viewpoints were exchanged : On one end, the importance of clearly stating the mission of the Council and its work with artists, and on the other one, the necessity to publicize and inform the community. At the same time, staying focused is important to maximize the impact of the website. -What must we add or change before we publish? The logo was mentioned by several members of the Committee, as needing some changes (probably less its shape than the fonts of"Council for the Arts". This logo is well known and is consistent with other organizations promoting art. -What would be nice to add or change before we publish? Add some information about the recipients of the grants: their stories, interviews, Explain the grant process. It is important to make the information very clear to the artists. Add a portal for volunteers. -What might we add in the future to turbocharge our site? Most members agreed on the importance of looking into the future and creating a website that aligns with that vision. The persons allowed to make changes on the website were also mentioned. Mostly the Chairs, the website designer(Anwell) and anybody in charge of advertising and marketing would like to have the option to edit information. To conclude the discussion,Anwell offered to run a few templates and try them out . VII. New business (10 minutes) : This item will be discussed next time. Meeting Adjourned at: 7:40 pm Motioned by: Jillian Seconded by: Steve